Tensile Strength
by Cybra
Summary: Fifty brief glances into a relationship based on lingering friendship, bitter betrayal, and everything inbetween.


Tensile Strength  
By Cybra

**Spoilers:** Some for TREATY based on images I've seen from songfics and screengrabs though they were completely out of context, so my "spoilers" could be somewhat off.

**A/N:** I should be working on NaNoWriMo stuff, but I thought I'd jot this stuff down for writing practice. That and Chad was being a brat in the back of my mind. So here's fifty snapshots of a relationship that possibly goes deeper in random order over the years.

**Disclaimer:** _Codename: Kids Next Door_ belongs to Tom Warburton.

**1. Walking**

For not the first time, they walk away from each other, both steaming and stubbornly refusing to apologize until the other does first.

**2. Waltz**

Numbuh 274 had found it funny when Numbuh 1 had admitted he couldn't dance and that was why he had been avoiding asking anybody to the upcoming school function, but the blond did more blushing than laughing during their brief private lesson.

**3. Wishes**

While waiting for his friends to finish going through recommissioning, One gazed out at the stars from Moon Base's observation deck, wishing that this day had never happened.

**4. Wonder**

With the way Numbuhs 274 and 1 occasionally bickered, many operatives wondered why the Supreme Leader didn't simply pull rank on the leader of Sector V.

**5. Worry**

"He's going to be okay," Numbuh 911 assured him, but 274 couldn't help chewing his lower lip.

**6. Whimsy**

"There's something wrong with you," One noted although he still walked with Numbuh 274 into the ridiculous-looking fun house.

**7. Waste/Wasteland**

He'd flung anything and everything that he could get his hands on around the room in order to vent his frustration, not caring that he'd probably destroyed some of his belongings since the other boy had already trashed his emotions.

**8. Whiskey and Rum**

Chad could've easily left the clearly miserable and soda drunk Numbuh 1 to fend for himself, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop himself from giving assistance.

**9. War**

It was a private little war between kids, adults, and teenagers, but in the middle of it all was their even more private little war of lingering friendship, stinging betrayal, and everything in-between.

**10. Weddings**

They'd ended up getting dragged to the same wedding and tried avoiding each other all night in order to keep the peace, but each had to admit the other looked good in a tux.

**11. Birthday**

Chad thrust the sloppily-wrapped box towards One and wished him a happy birthday, cautioning him not to get used to such treatment.

**12. Blessing**

Numbuh 1 didn't pray often, but he figured that maybe Someone would keep a watchful eye out for lunatic solo operatives.

**13. Bias**

One called Numbuh 274 the best there was but admitted that he was a bit biased.

**14. Burning**

The bald Brit kept telling himself that the only reasons he was helping Chad were that the Teen Ninjas didn't seem to have a set medic and it wasn't right to leave a guy with a ridiculously high fever on his own.

**15. Breathtaking**

He'd taunted the younger boy about his pale skin before, but Chad secretly liked the way that same skin glowed in the moonlight.

**16. Breaking**

As he read the invitation and realized the truth, Numbuh 1 felt something in his chest shatter.

**17. Belief**

One wanted desperately to believe that not everything Chad had told him was a lie.

**18. Balloon**

Numbuh 274 scowled at the way One cackled with laughter, the Brit high five-ing his best friend who already had another water balloon in hand, and silently plotted revenge.

**19. Balcony**

"What a load of garbage," One scoffed as he closed the book containing the famous play though he idly noted that the porch that circled the tree house would make a passable balcony.

**20. Bane**

Neither spoke the other's name unless necessary, hoping to banish the memories.

**21. Quiet**

Sneaking up on each other while the other was working was a bit of a game for them, but no matter how quiet their footsteps, the other boy always seemed to know.

**22. Quirks**

Chad still found amusement in the bald boy's habit of obsessive compulsiveness about some things while leaving others that people _normally_ were obsessive compulsive about alone.

**23. Question**

One wanted to be furious about the silent bets going on about his sexual orientation but couldn't since he wasn't sure for himself.

**24. Quarrel**

Numbuh 362 knew that Numbuh 1 wasn't trying to frustrate her but wished he'd pick someone else to use as a replacement for the "friendly" arguments he'd had with Chad.

**25. Quitting**

All he had to say was "You can't quit; you still haven't beaten me yet", and 274 was instantly rewarded with a renewed flame of passion in the cadet's eyes.

**26. Jump**

"I knew you'd be there to catch me," One told 274 smugly despite it having been a desperate leap to freedom.

**27. Jester**

As he revealed his friend's betrayal, One felt like the absolute King of Fools.

**28. Jousting**

Nigel cranked up the training robot to ludicrous levels, silently vowing that the next time Numbuh 274 challenged him, he wouldn't disappoint.

**29. Jewel**

It was technically the Kids Next Door's fault the Brit had gone bald, but Numbuh 274 marveled over how the awful experience had seemed to bring out the best in him.

**30. Just**

Things didn't look good for him thanks to his defection, but a simple "just go" from Sector V's leader, and Chad was free once more.

**31. Smirk**

It was during the heat of battle that Chad realized he would've fallen to his knees and begged the seemingly eternally-scowling Brit for forgiveness if that would return that playful smirk to his lips.

**32. Sorrow**

One felt a doubled loss at Lizzie's breaking up with him: her exuberant affections and his chances to temporarily forget.

**33. Stupidity**

Numbuh 1 looked as if he was trying desperately not to laugh in front of his teammates, and it was then that Numbuh 274 realized he'd said one of the stupidest things in his life.

**34. Serenade**

On a dare, Chad had to kneel outside his enemy's window and warble a tune, but at least One had been merciful with the bucket of water: It was only lukewarm.

**35. Sarcasm**

One's sarcasm was near-legendary, and he'd started using it more than ever since Chad's defection, but Two knew it was just a defense to block out the hurt.

**36. Sordid**

Numbuh 274 would never admit it, but he liked One better bald since the sordid color of the Brit's hair seemed to distract people from his fiery spirit.

**37. Soliloquy**

274 was grateful when One didn't draw anyone's attention as the younger boy told him that he'd been muttering his thoughts on the matter out loud.

**38. Sojourn**

Numbuh 1 was surprised when he saw the famous solo operative hovering outside his window with a tired but charming smile on his face, asking, "Mind if I crash here tonight?"

**39. Share**

Mentally, Numbuh 274 raged at Lizzie for being so unwilling to share her boyfriend that she'd had him try to destroy something that was obviously important to him.

**40. Solitary**

One hated coming up to Moon Base now since—even surrounded by so many operatives—he felt hideously alone.

**41. Nowhere**

At One's query of where the Supreme Leader was kidnapping him to, Numbuh 274 gave a charming smile and replied, "Nowhere fast."

**42. Neutral**

They would've been at each other's throats if it weren't for the fact that both respected the rules of neutral territory.

**43. Nuance**

There were little nuances to the leader of Sector V's speech and body language that revealed more than what he verbally told you, and Numbuh 274 fiercely denied having memorized every one.

**44. Near**

One had a clear shot for punching Chad's face but couldn't explain why he turned it into a near miss at the last second.

**45. Natural**

After getting over the initial hero-worship, Numbuh 1 found a good argument then a bite to eat at Ricky's with his Supreme Leader as natural as breathing.

**46. Horizon**

The sun was rising over Earth's horizon, but from his vantage point on Moon Base, One didn't feel any warmer.

**47. Valiant**

"That was really brave of you; stupid and crazy but brave," One told 274 with gratitude.

**48. Virtuous**

Numbuh 274 may have been the epitome of everything an operative wanted to be but he took tremendous, evil pleasure in riling up the bald Brit.

**49. Victory**

A single shot, and One would win the fight, but his finger wouldn't pull the trigger.

**50. Defeat**

There was no victor in this fight as both fell to their knees in exhaustion, each looking the part of the defeated.


End file.
